FM station gives local bands air, recording time

Radio jockey Ryan Wilson adjusts output volume levels during this show. He’s been working for WSBF for two years.

DIA ZAFEROPULOS Anderson Independent-Mail

It's a place where bands can send their newest CDs for review, produce professional recordings, book concerts, and play live shows over the air waves.

The bands are local, and they are playing from Clemson University's local radio station and recording studio.

Just above the bookstore in the Hendrix Student Center is the small but impressive WSBF student-run radio station. The station, at 88.1 FM on the dial, is home for dozens of Clemson students who want to learn about new music, share with the community and help local bands emerge in the music scene they are so passionate about. Officials said the almost 50-year-old station constantly is reaching out to the community and to local bands.

"It's a good place to start recording a demo or a first album," said graduating senior Kyle Jensen, who was the station's general manager last semester. "If the staff members really like the music, we may book them for a show."

In addition to regular air play of local CDs, bands can record their music in the forms of CDs or MP3s in a separate studio on Mackie software. The average cost of $30 per hour is far less than professional studios.

If an interested band does not have enough songs or finances to record a CD, the group also can be invited to play live on the air, station officials said. WSBF officials also hope to begin recording all live shows so the bands not only will receive free publicity, but they would receive a full-scale recording of their live show.

These shows are live concerts WSBF organizes once per month for the Clemson community to encourage local musicians. Bands can submit their CDs to the station's music director, Cam Taylor, to be reviewed by the staff.

Mr. Jensen said the station's 10 senior staffers and approximately 50 disc jockeys work to share others artists on their two types of shows: rotation and specialty. Rotation shows work on playing new music the studio receives and specialty shows focus on specific genres such as punk, metal, sports, etc.

Mr. Jensen said he believes the educational aspect of the shows is the strongest reason the community should be tuning in.

"(It's) the whole aspect of being able to listen to two hours of radio and being able to walk away with two, five or six bands you've never heard of before," Mr. Jensen said. "People should know when they tune into WSBF they will get something out of it."

Future plans by station officials include a new show called WSBF Live Sessions in the fall. The idea is to have local bands play at least once per week in the station. Plus, since all live performances are hoping to be recorded, the station could begin building a library of live performances, he said.

For more information, contact Mr. Anderson and other staff members at the station's Web site at wsbf.clemson.edu.